Refrigerating machine



Aug. 30, 1938. sTEENsTRUP REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1955 f g 15a [E [3b Inventor: Christian Steenstrup,

' Patented Aug. 3o, 193s REFRIGERATING MAGL. l l1 Christian Steenstrup, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 29, i935, Serial No. 29,036

a ld Claims.

My invention relates to refrigerating machines. It is an object of my invention to provide a .refrigerator comprising a cabinet and a refrigerating machine of the type including a motor and a compressor arranged within a closed casing and having an improved arrangementfor supporting the casing, and a refrigerant condenser, -the support being utilized to provide emcient dissipation of heat from the condenser.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following de scription proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l showsa household refrigerator provided with a reirigerating machine embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation view of the reirigerating machine shown in IFig. l, portions thereof being shown in full for the sake of clearness.

in accordance with my invention, TL provide a heat insulated cabinet and a refrigerating machine comprising a motor and compressor casing supported on a base and a, refrigerant condenser secured in heat exchange relation with the walls oi the base, so that heat may be removed from the condenser by convection currents of air passing over the outer walls of the base, and so that the casing provides a smooth surface which rapidly radiates heat, and which is also cooled by convection currents.

, Referring now to the'drawing, in Fig. l l have shown a refrigerator embodying my invention includingv a cabinet it having a door lll and pro-I vided wth a refrigerating machine comprising a base it. forming a removable top wall of the d@ cabinet, a spherical casing i3 having a motor and a compressor arranged therein, and a refrigerant evaporator id for cooling the interior of the cabinet id.

As shownin Fig. 2, the casing it is constructed of upper and lower hemispherical portions secured together by welding a seam at ida. around their line of contact, a band [13b arranged inside the Vcasing and overlapping the two portions of the casing at the linerof welding being provided to reinforce the seam. A band 63e of stainless steel or other suitable finishing material is secured over the seam 03a in order to give a pleasing appearance. The base i2 is made of sheet metal and comprises a sheet metal top wall i5 and a sheet metal sidewall constructed of inner and outer metal sheets i6 and ll respectively secured together face to face, the sheet il having indentations or corrugations therein providing a condenser i8 formed in the Walls of the housing. The sheets i6 and l1 are welded together entirely about their edges and closelyv adjacent the opposite sides of the indentations throughout their length. The upper wall l5 has an annular upturned ilange i9 having a downturned lip 20 to which the lower portion of the casing i3 is secured by welding, brazing or in any other suitablemanner, and is thereby maintained in good heat exchange relation with the casing. The top wall i5 is provided with a downturned flange iba Welded to the upper edge of the side Wall il. The base is strengthened by wooden braces 2t around the lower edges of the side walls and a center brace 29 having its ends resting on the braces 2d and secured between the upper portions of two of the side walls near the center of the base. A sheet metal bottom wall 2i is provided for the base and is secured to the base by strips 22 of wood, or other suitable heat insulating material, which insulates the wall 2E from the sides of the base and the outer wall of the cabinet. The strips 22 are secured to the bottom Wall by screws 23 and to the side wall of the base by screws 2d extending through an inturned ange tti on the inner sheet it and into thev braces t. A gasket 2t of rubber or other resilient material is secured between the strips 22 and the outer sheet il of the side wall of the base and provides a seal between the base and the cabinet it when the base has been placed on the cabinet. The wall it ts over the side wall of the cabinet i@ so that the base l2 forms a continuation of the cabinet Wall. .A body of heat insulating material 2l fills the space within the base above the bottom Wall 2i and constitutes the top wall insulation of the cabinet. A float valve chamber or liquid refrigerant receiver 3i] is arranged within the base and is surrounded by the body of heat insulation 2l. The bottom wall 2i supports the evaporator lt which is secured to the lower side thereof by bolts Si.

A motor 32 is arranged to drive a compressor 33, which is secured to the upper portion of the frame of the motor, and this motor and compresser unit is resiliently mounted within the casing i3 on springs 32a. This arrangement for mounting the motor and compressor`within the refrigerant casing is not my invention but is the invention of Harley H. Bixler and is described and claimed in his Patent No. 2,028,584, granted January 21, 1936, and assigned to General Electric Company, assignee of my present invention. I do not, therefore, herein claim anything described or claimed in the said Bixler patent which is to be regarded as prior art with respect to the present application, my invention relatting to an improved arrangement for mounting the casing and the condenser.

During operation of the refrigerating machine the compressor 33 withdraws refrigerant from the interior of the casing I3 and pumps it through an outlet connection 34 into a muiile box 35 and thence through a conduit 36 into the condenser I8. Gaseous refrigerant pumped into the condenser I8 is at a relatively high temperature due to the compressing operation, and the air on the outside .of the base I2 about the condenser I8 flows upwardly continuously carrying away the heat of the refrigerant. The refrigerant is thus cooled' and is liquefied, and the liquid refrigerant flows from the condenser through a connection 3l into the receiver or float valve chamber 3U. When a predetermined amount of refrigerant is collected in the chamber 30, a float therein rises and opens a valve, which permits the refrigerant to flow through a connection 38 into circulating passages 39 of the evaporator. i Liquid refrigerant within the evaporator I4 is vaporized by the absorption of heat from the air within the cabinet I Il and from articles such as freezing trays placed in the evaporator, and the vaporized refrigerant collects in a header 40 from which it is Withdrawn through a suction conduit 4I and returns to the casing i3. f'

In order adequately to lubricate the motor and compressor and also to cool them, I provide an oil pump driven by the motor 32 and having an intake 42 opening into a body of oil 43 in the bottom of the casing I3. When the motor 32 is in operation oil is pumped from the bottom of the casing through the working' mechanism of the motor and compressor and is discharged through a nozzle 44 against a bulge 45 in the top of the casing I3. The bulge 45 causes the oil to ow evenly over the inner surface of the casing where it is cooled, the heat being dissipated by radiation and by convection currents of air flowing over the outside of the casing I3 the major portion of which is above the housing I2. the top of the casing I3 is provided to collect oil which may drop down toward the motor 32 and to carry the oil to the side of the casing, openings 47 being provided in the baffle to permit the oil to flow through the baffle. Since the oil is continuously pumped through the motor and compressor and over the sides of the casing I3 the body of oil at the bottom of the casing is maintained relatively cool, and the heat of the motor and compressor is continuously dissipated. This arrangement of the oil circulating system including the baille 46 and the bulge 45 is described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 1,319 led January 11, -1935 and assigned to General Electric Company, assignee of my present invention.

During operation of the refrigerating machine described herein the condenser is continuously cooled -by radiation and by the convection currents of air circulating about the walls of the refrigerator cabinet. The circulation of air is free and uninterrupted and results in efcient cooling of the condenser. The motor and compressor are also efficiently cooled by the dissipation of heat by radiation, and also by convection currents circulating about the spherical casing. t is to be noted that the casing constructed as A baiile 46 arranged near shown and having no fins or other projections thereon permits radiation of heat in all directions and with a minimum of re-radiation from adjacent surfaces. The spherical form of the casing provides a very eflcient radiating surface, which is easily cleaned, has a pleasing appearance, and is economical to manufacture.

While I have described my invention as applied to a household refrigerating machine, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. I do not, therefore, desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having insulated side and bottom walls, a refrigerating machine for cooling the interior of said cabinet, said refrigerating machine including a closed casing having a gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a sheet metal base having top and side walls and constituting a removable top wall of said cabinet for supporting said casing, means for providing a refrigerant condenser utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a body of heat insulating ma.-

terial within said base, means including a bottom wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls for enclosing said body of heat insulating material within said base, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine arranged within said cabinet.

2. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having insulated side and bottom walls, a refrigerating machine for cooling said cabinet, said refrigerating machine including a closed casing having agaseous refrigerant therein, means including a' sheet metal base having top and side walls and constituting a removable top wall of said cabinet for supporting said casing, said base being arranged in heat exchange relation with the lower portion of said casing to dissipate heat from said casing, means for providing a refrigerant condenser utilizing a wall of said base as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a body of heat insulating material within said base, means including a sheet metal bottom Wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls' for enclosng said body of heat insulating material within said base, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine arranged within said cabinet.

3. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having insulated side and bottom Walls, a refrigerating machine for cooling said cabinet, said refrigerating machine including a closed casing having a gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a sheet metal base having top and side Walls and constituting a removable top Wall of said cabinet for supporting said casing, said side walls of said base comprising continuations of the side walls of said cabinet, said base being arranged in heat exchange relation with the lower portion of said casing to dissipate heat from said casing, a refrigerant condenser for said machine formed Within the wall of said base and utilizing said wall as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said Condenser, a body of heat insulating material within said base, means including a sheet metal bottom wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls for enclosing said body of heat insulating material within sai-d base, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine'arranged within said cabinet.

4. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having insulated side and bottom walls, a refrigerating machine for cooling said cabinet, said refrigerating machine including a closed spherical casing having a gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a sheet metal base having top and side walls constituting a removable top wall of said cabinet and secured in heat exchange relation with said casing for supporting said casing, means for providing a refrigerant condenser for said machine utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, said condenser being arranged to be cooled substantially entirely by air circulating over the outside only of said base, means includingl a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a bottom Wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine arranged within said cabinet.

5. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having insulated side and bottom walls, a refrigerating machine for cooling said cabinet, said refrigerating machine including a closed spherical casing having a gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a sheet metal base having top and side walls constituting a removable top wall of said cabinet and secured in heat exchange relation with said casing for supporting said casing,- said side walls of said base comprising continuation's of the side Walls of said cabinet, means for providing a refrigerant condenser for said machine utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface,

said condenser being arranged to be cooled substantially entirely by air circulating over the outside only of said base, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a bottom Wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine arranged within said cabinet.

6. A refrigerating machine including a closed casing, a motor and a compressor arranged in said casing, means including a sheet metal base arranged below said casing for supporting said casing, means for providing an air cooled condenser for said machine utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, a body of heat insulating material within said base, means including a thermally insulated bottom wall in said base for enclosing said body of -heat insulating material Within said base, means including a receiver arranged within said body of heat insulating material for collecting liquid refrigerant from said condenser, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine.

7. A refrivgerating machine including a closed casing having gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a sheet metal base having top and side walls .and secured to the lower portion of said casing for supporting said casing, means for providing an air cooled refrigerant condenser for said machine utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a body of heat insulating material within said base, means including a bottom wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls for enclosing 1 including a base having top and side walls and secured to the lower portionof said casing for supporting said casing, means for providing an air cooled refrigerant condenser for ysaid machine utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a body of heat insulating material within said base, means including a bottom wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls for enclosing said body of heat insulating material within said base, a refrigerant evaporator for said machine, and means including a receiver and a oat valve therein arranged within said body of heat insulating material for controlling thev flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator.

9. A refrigerating machine including a closed casing having gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a sheet metal base having top and side walls and arranged in heat exchange relation with the lower portion of said casing for supporting said casing, a refrigerant condenser formed within the walls of said base in heat exchange relation therewith, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a body of heat insulating material withinsaid base, means including a bottom wall for saidbase thermally insulated from said side walls for enclosing said body of heat insulating material Within said base, a refrigerant evaporator for said machine, and means including a receiver and a oat valve therein arranged Within said body of heat insulating material forcentrolling the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator. l

l0. A refrigerating machine including a closed casing having gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a sheet metal base having top and side walls and arranged in heat exchange relation with the lower portion of said casing for supporting saidcasing, said side walls of said base comprising two sheets of metal secured together face to face, means including indentations formed in one of the sheets of said side Walls for providing a refrigerant condenser in said side Walls,lmeans including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, va bottom wall for said base, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine.v

ll. Arefrigerating machine including a closed casing having gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a base having top and side walls and arranged in heat' exchange relation with the lower portion of-said casing for supporting said casing, the top wall of said base having an opening therein and the lower portion of said casing extending partially through said opening, mearis for providing an air cooled refrigerant condenser utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a bottom wall for said base, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine. A

l2. A refrigerating machine including a closed sphericalV casing having gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a base having top and side walls and secured to the lower portion of said casing for supporting said casing, means for providing an air cooled refrigerant condenser utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a bottom wall for said base thermally insulated from said side walls, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine.

13. A refrigerating machine including a closed Spherical casing having gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a base having top and side walls and arranged in heat exchange relation with the lower portion of said casing for supporting said casing, said base having an opening therein and said casing extending therethrough, the major portion of said casing being above the top wall of said base, means for providing an air cooled refrigerant condenser utilizing said base as a heat dissipating surface, means including a motor and a compressor in said casing for pumping gaseous refrigerant from said casing to said condenser, a bottom wall for said base thermally insulated from said side Walls, and a refrigerant evaporator for said machine.

14. A refrigerating machine including a closed spherical casing having gaseous refrigerant therein, means including a base having top and side walls and arranged in heat exchange relation With the lower portion of said casing for supportn ing said casing, said top wall of said base having a circular opening therein and an annular iiange- CHRISTIN STEENS'IIRUP., 

